Field
Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to containment mechanisms for oil and gas drilling operations, and more particularly to a containment mat system for use at oil and gas drilling sites.
Background
Oil and gas drilling operations generally involve a drilling rig and associated support equipment that are used to drill and line oil and gas wells, as is well known. During drilling operations, a significant amount of activity occurs at the drilling site involving many different pieces of drilling equipment and support equipment. In order to reduce environmental impact to the areas adjacent and nearby to drilling sites, sites are commonly lined with liner to help prevent any liquids spilled at the drill site from penetrating the ground or entering a water supply. Additionally, matting may be installed around the drill site to provide a working surface and keep traffic from directly contacting liner material and potentially damaging the liner. Additionally, matting may help reduce impact on the ground area around drill sites from traffic and equipment at the drill site, such as ruts, erosion, excessive soil compaction, etc.
While helping to reduce environmental impacts, current lining and matting may take a significant amount of time and cost to install. Additionally, as liner material is often placed directly on the ground surface, tears and/or punctures may occur, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the liner. Accordingly, it may be desirable to have more efficient and reliable containment and matting systems.